1. Get a good start. To get the most out of any BAS — including effectively implementing alarming, trending, monitoring, and more — get involved in the BAS design as early in the initial project phase as possible. Drill down and ask the following questions:

• How is the operations team structured?

• What are the remote access and network security requirements?

• What is the most important function of the BAS from each stakeholder?

• What are the current or future mobile technology requirements?

• Do the graphics support HTML5?

Involvement early on in the design process will also facilitate “future proofing” the BAS.

2. Plan for data storage. Ensuring the infrastructure is in place to securely store and backup valuable data from the BAS is critical. Storing trend data for the entire year can require considerable storage capacity, but the value of having multiple years of trend data easily outweighs the low-cost of current data storage technology. Being able to compare seasonal trend data can shed light on building operations that would be impossible to gain from the current operational snapshot.

3. Look to the long term. After spending so much time designing and manipulating the BAS to meet all the building’s needs, don’t forget to maintain it. Whether working with an existing BAS or building anew, a defined plan for system maintenance and potential upgrades will keep a BAS up to date. Just like any other piece of equipment, infrastructure, or technology, when the BAS is not maintained in a systematic way, including upgrades and patches, it will not perform up to the desired level.